Guide to Stop the Dog from Making Holes in the Yard

For years, I heard stories on how to stop a dog from digging in the backyard. Throughout those years, I heard stories on how the action of digging was due to a lack of entertainment, climate control was not accurate, and other misleading reasons to the digging dog. After studying at one of the top veterinary schools in the nation, I have learned that digging is a natural action - not something that can be from the climate or because of boredom. Therefore it is a myth to think that taking your dog for a long walk before leaving the house will naturally stop your dog from digging. As pet owners, this will become evident in no time!

First of all, do not blame your furry friend before checking for dirt in the paws and nose areas on the body. Innocent until proven guilty is the rule in America - it goes for dogs also. After confirming that the dog is the culprit, which most of the time he/she is in fact that one doing the digging, some simple tricks can be done to actually get rid of this bad action.

1. Make sure there are no other signs of another animal in the area. For instance, after yelling at our trained dog once, later in that same day I saw a gopher timidly coming out of the same hole. Therefore, the dog was trying to get to the animal to warn us there was an intruder. Some dogs, especially hunting canines are very attentive to even one small insect underneath the topsoil of the ground.

2. Make sure the dog has not misplaced a treat or bone. It is a common myth that dogs bury bones for later usage. This is not always the case though. Some forgetful dogs will misplace a bone or treat and later dig around the yard since he/she thinks the treat has been lost. It is not because the dog forgot where the buried bone was located.

3. Make sure the dog has shelter outside as well as inside. If the dog becomes scared or if the weather is unbearable, the dog may dig a hole for comfort. This is the least likely case however it may be the case with your furry one. It is a common myth though that a dog can only live in air-conditioning, actually, they can live in all temperatures as long as it is not unbearable. Just be reasonable.

4. "Allelomimetic behavior" is sometimes the cause for digging by dogs. Dogs like to mimic was has been seen, therefore if there is another animal seen digging - the dog might be copying the other digging animal. Some dogs will also see children digging in the yard and then copy the children in this fun activity.

5. Mating Dens are created by wild dogs in nature. These dens are dug in the ground to provide a location to mate. Therefore a female dog that is in heat can dig to provide a mating location if a male dog is smelled in the location. Make sure when an un-spayed female dog is in heat to place her inside.

Cures:

1. Burying the dogs own feces in the yard where he/she has been known to dig is the best solution. The dog will smell the feces and will not even attempt to dig in that location.

2. Insect repellent can be used in the areas that this bad habit occurs. This cure is especially useful for hunting dogs since they can sense insects well up to a few feet in the ground! Use the insect repellent while the dog is not in the yard as it can cause a stomach irritation if licked.

3. For constant hole diggers, try placing a large rock in the hole that has been dug up. Do this in his/her favorite hole. Then, fill in the other holes very tightly so to encourage the digger to dig in the hole with the rock. Once the dog hits the rock, it will not like the feeling of the hard surface and the sound that it makes when hit with the claws.

4. Use a hose in the hole that has been dug in the most. This takes a little more digging in the yard however works very well for those persistence dogs. Try digging a long trench and placing a hooked up garden hose inside the trench. The hose end should be out of sight of the dog so it will be surprised. Then, when the dog starts to dig, turn on the water. The dog will be very surprised. Then, just make sure that you tell him (do not yell) No! Once the dog starts to get involved with something else in the yard, praise him/her.

5. Sprinkle cayenne pepper in the hole under a thin topsoil layer. Dogs usually do not like this smell and will turn his/her dog from the hole that is contaminated with it. For those investigative dogs, he/she will try to lick the substance and will dislike the taste. Make sure to put no more than one tablespoon though since too much of a taste will upset the stomach.

No one really knows why dogs prefer to dig however there are natural cures to stop it from doing this bad habit. It is important never to scold a dog for digging; after all, humans have a lot of unexplainable weird habits that are not scolded after doing them. Scolding can lead to a frightened dog and one that will not be friendly to humans. It falls in the line of animal abuse, so please be careful otherwise PETA volunteers will coming knocking on your doorstep. Take advantage of this insight information and cure the action before it happens again. The suggested are easy cures that do not take much time or energy. Just remember to keep consistent and constantly give love to your furry one.